Malik Rahim for Congress (Louisiana 2nd)

Malik Rahim, Green Party candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, will not be on the ballot Nov. 4. Because of Hurricane KatrinaRita Ike, the election will actually be on December 6. That gives Malik Rahim an extra month to organize and get the word out.

Malik Rahim’s race is a featured race for the Green Party, his work following Hurricane Katrina was an example of Green Values in Action. His role as a keynote speaker at the Chicago GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention was no accident, and his message is strong.

From his website:

Malik Rahim, born and raised in New Orleans’ Algiers neighborhood, has worked as an organizer for decades around housing and prison issues. During Hurricane Katrina, Malik stayed to assist the community and has been speaking out about racism and the failures of government exposed by the Katrina disaster.
Malik founded a number of organizations including:

* Co-founded Common Ground Health Clinic in September 2005 with Sharon Johnson. After hurricane Katrina, it was the first health clinic in the city of New Orleans. The clinic enlisted emergency medics to run a first aid station and help develop a permanent health clinic. The clinic continues to offer free health care for people without health insurance or means to see their health provider.
* Co-founded Common Ground Relief in September 2005, with Scott Crow and Brandon Darby. Since Hurricane Katrina, nearly 13,000 volunteers have gutted over 3000 homes in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans through their efforts.
* In 1984 helped found and operate the Algiers Development Center and Invest Transitional Housing, a program for ex-offenders which has housed more than one thousand former inmates.
* Founding member of the Louisiana anti-death penalty group Pilgrimage for Life, with Sister Helen Prejean.
* Founding member of Housing is a Human Right a San Francisco, California citywide non-profit affordable housing advocacy organization, in 1996
* National Coalition to Free the Angola Three
* New Orleans Chapter of the Black Panther Party

Malik continues to travel across the country speaking about his observations and encouraging volunteers to travel to New Orleans and provide assistance.